Should I send Junior to a specialty camp?

Another good question to ask is the average length of service of the camp’s counselors. If counselors come back year after year, it’s a good indication that the camp is well run.

Ages. Another thing to consider is the age range at a particular camp, says Ann Cathcart, founder of The Learning Camp. You need to ask yourself if you feel comfortable having your 10-year-old in the same camp as high schoolers.

If there is a wide range, ask the director what the age distribution has been in past summers and see how the camp splits the different ages up.

Philosophy. You need to find out if a camp is competitive or recreational and which type of camp would be best for your child. If you feel your child needs structure, don’t send him to a camp where there are huge chunks of unsupervised time.

A good way to gauge if a camp is a good fit is too see how you respond to the camp director, Cathcart says. If you and your child like the camp director, it’s a good bet you’ll both like the camp, too.

References. Make sure to ask for references not only from parents but from former campers, too. While researching various camps, take note of how responsive the different camp directors are to your inquiries. If you have a hard time getting information from a director before the camp even starts, just think how hard it will be once the summer is in full swing.

What’s next. Make sure to ask about what sort of results you can expect from the camp and what your responsibilities are when your child comes home. If you are sending your daughter to a weight-loss camp, for instance, ask how much weight campers lose and how long they keep it off. Also, see what you will need to do to help your child incorporate the lessons from camp into her everyday life.